


In Color

by LanaCade



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Decorations, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Holidays, Lemon Tea, Lena had a hipster art phase, Light Angst, polaroids and tea, tis the season for the sads
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-26
Updated: 2018-11-26
Packaged: 2019-08-29 17:23:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16748365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LanaCade/pseuds/LanaCade
Summary: Emily accidentally digs a piece of Lena's past out while decorating the apartment for the holidays.





	In Color

December hadn’t even arrived yet, but Lena couldn’t stop Emily from rearranging the entire apartment early-- wreaths, string lights, tacky figurines of snowmen or Santa that she’d found at a thrift store for dirt cheap, and of course mistletoe taped on the doorframe to their room. 

She came out from their kitchen with two cups of hot tea and paused when she saw her girlfriend already digging through the hall closet for their wrapped up ornaments and stockings. 

“Uh, love? I’m all for bein’ festive, you know that, but no one’s even selling trees yet. Don’t you think you’re a bit early?” She asked, handing Emily her cup.

“Absolute nonsense.” The redhead took a sip. “I’ve no idea what you’re on about.”

Lena giggled and shook her head, putting her tea down to help Emily as she started pulling a massive bin from the closet. They opened it together, first finding stockings and what seemed to be supplies for presents. Towards the bottom was a stand for a tree, the topper, and a few boxes that weren’t labeled. 

“I think its all in here Em, you want my help with any of this?” Lena offered. She already knew the answer, her girlfriend was very particular about placement.

“Maybe when we get the tree, right now I’ve got some ideas from Pinterest to finally use.” Emily winked. “But.. You should definitely sit and keep me company.” 

The Overwatch agent didn’t have to look as she plopped down on the couch, she could just hear the cute smirk on her girlfriend’s face. Her phone buzzed with a message from Hana and a few notifications from being tagged in photos with Winston and Emily the night before. They hadn’t had such a good time since the holidays a couple years back, everything since has been all work and no play.

Lena felt like she could finally exhale and let go of the physical and emotional stress that came with her line of work. There was always guilt. Always regret. But she’d do her best to not think of it, there was Emily to think about instead. She smiled to herself and scrolled through the internet to catch up on what she’d missed during the night. 

By the time Emily spoke to her again, what was left of Lena’s tea was cold. The floor was a mess, and not entirely of Christmas related objects.

“Babe?”

“Hm?”

Emily smiled as she rummaged through a little black box, one that had been taped shut. “I think I found your old collection of angsty, edgy polaroids. Y’know, from your artist phase?” She teased, clearly fighting not to chuckle. 

“Hey! Suck a fat one Em, you already know that one, some of those are damn good and two, I was nineteen!” The two burst into a fit of laughter as Lena abandoned her spot on the couch to go through her only partially embarrassing work. 

Most of the tiny two-by-three polaroids were black and white, Emily filed through self-portraits, shots of flowers, a few of what must’ve been Lena’s friends before the Slipstream even. Lena took to looking at a couple in particular of the Row before Mondatta’s statue was in place. 

“Most of the people in these weren’t expectin’ you, sweets. They’re all trying to cover their faces..” Emily noted the pattern.

“Eh, yeah.. I kinda always forgot to ask.”

“Not this one, though.”

Lena raised an eyebrow. “Huh?”

Emily gazed at three polaroids in her hand, seemingly mesmerized. “This one.. Must’ve been modeling for you? She’s awfully pretty. They’re the only ones in color.” She handed the photos to her girlfriend, who’s mouth fell open.

Three photos of Amélie Lacroix. In one, she had her back turned to the camera, held a bouquet of roses and let her silky hair flow past her shoulders, nearly to her waist. In another, Amélie made eye contact as she laced up a pointe shoe. The last was a bit more intimate, as she posed on top of a vanity in what seemed to be a dressing room. A full smile, only halfway dressed, a single rose in hand.

Lena remembered the day she took the photos. Amélie had just landed a lead role and she’d brought the flowers to congratulate her. Gerard couldn’t be there, but that was always expected. 

There was a bottle of champagne that ended up empty. 

She glanced back at the third photo and decided not to think of what happened next. She could feel her eyes water and didn’t want to cry in front of Emily. 

“Love?”

Lena snapped out of her thoughts and realized she hadn’t spoken in at least a minute. 

“Oh- ‘m sorry, I just.. forgot I had taken these.” She tried a smile. “Shocked me it did. She’s uh.. not around anymore.” Only a half-lie. 

“Bollocks, I really shouldn’t have dug these out-“

“No, no!” Lena stopped her. “I’m glad you did. I missed seein’ her like this. Its been years.” Her voice quivered.

It was true. Despite their hostility on the battlefield, Lena still missed her. She missed the curtain of soft hair that would frame the woman’s face so perfectly, the beauty mark above her lip, the deep eyes she once trusted. She missed the warmth Amélie was known for and was always devastated from the contrast of who she was now.

Emily stopped her from getting lost in thought again.

“I take it she was special, then.” The redhead pulled her girlfriend close, Lena let her head rest on her shoulder and set the photos on her lap.

“She was, love. She really was.”


End file.
